Katas Raj Temples

Katas Raj is built around a pond that tradition holds was formed from the tears of Shiva, and pilgrims have come to bathe in it for a very long time. The complex holds temples of several periods, the oldest group in the Kashmiri style dating to around the seventh to tenth centuries, along with later shrines, a haveli, and a Sikh-period building, all set on a rocky rise above the water. The site also carries a claimed association with the Mahabharata. Extensive restoration has taken place in recent decades, and Hindu pilgrim groups visit for festivals under arrangement. The pond itself has suffered badly from groundwater extraction by nearby cement plants and has run dry or low at times, becoming a matter of legal action; its level varies. The Salt Range setting, dry hills and scrub, gives the complex an isolated, striking position.

History

The name comes from the Sanskrit kataksha, "tearful eyes", and the pond, first called Viskund, the "poison spring", later became Katakshkund, the "spring of tearful eyes". The Chinese monk Faxian described a temple here in the 4th century CE, Xuanzang in the 7th century reported a Buddhist stupa from the time of Ashoka, 200 feet tall and ringed by 10 springs, and the Shahi dynasties built Hindu temples here from the mid-7th to the 10th centuries; the Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh came on pilgrimage in 1806, 1818 and 1824 (Wikipedia, Katas Raj Temples).

Highlights

• The sacred pond - the pool at the centre of the complex.
• Kashmiri-style temples - the oldest shrines with their distinctive roofs.
• Later shrines and haveli - buildings from Sikh and colonial periods.
• The Salt Range setting - dry hills and escarpments around the site.

When to go

October to April; summer temperatures in the Salt Range are severe and there is little shade. Pilgrimage festivals bring organised groups and restricted access at times. Mornings are best for light on the temple roofs.

Practical notes

The pond level fluctuates and has at times been nearly dry, which changes the character of the site completely. Restoration work is uneven and some structures are closed. Interpretation is limited. Cement plants are visible in the surrounding landscape and the industrial context is hard to ignore.

Nearby

Kallar Kahar lake is minutes away; Khewra salt mine lies south in the same range.

Key facts